Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Implantable electronic devices, such as intraocular implants, cochlear implants, and pacemakers, are often expected to provide for decades of use. In some cases, this can be fulfilled by using ultra-low power electronics and a non-rechargeable battery that is integral with the device's electronics platform. The functioning lifetime of the implantable device may, however, outlast that of the non-rechargeable battery. This essentially limits the lifetime of the implantable device to that of the battery, such that the entire implantable device is replaced once the battery expires. Because implantable devices are expensive and require large incisions to implant, replacing the entire device is not desirable.
Many additional medical device applications are becoming available if a rechargeable battery may be utilized. However, while rechargeable battery technology is advancing, rechargeable batteries only last thousands of charging cycles and require replacement after only 5-10 years. Based on current technology, a rechargeable battery will not remain functional after decades of use if the battery is recharged every day in order to power the device. As such, the overall lifetime of the device is limited by that of the battery. Because the battery is typically an integral component of the implantable device, once the battery expires, the entire implantable device is typically replaced.